Cost of living blamed as half of under-24s say they plan to leave London

Over a quarter of young people in London plan to leave in the next decade (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

Almost half of young people living in the capital plan to leave within the next 10 years with many blaming rising cost-of-living and property prices, a new poll shows.

Figures published from a YouGov survey show 47 per cent of the capital’s 18 to 24-year-olds intend to move out within the next decade. This is considerably higher than the 28 per cent of all over-18s who think they will leave the capital in the same timeframe, the survey found.

Of those who are considering a move, 56 per cent cited the cost of living among other factors, with 55 per cent basing their decision on high property prices. Other reasons included how busy it is (29 per cent), a lack of access to nature and the countryside (28 per cent), and crime in the capital (24 per cent).

Almost three quarters of north London residents (69 per cent) would leave the capital due to cost-of-living concerns, followed by 59 per cent of those in central London, 53 per cent of south London and west London residents, and 52 per cent of those in east London considering a move amid rising costs.

Polly Neate, chief executive of housing charity Shelter, said the figures reflected how younger people are one of the groups most affected by the housing crisis. She said: “Being forced to hand over the bulk of their income to live in an overpriced and often shoddy rental is having a damaging impact on young adults’ ability to put down roots and build a life.”

A spokesman for Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “There is always a natural flow of people, but it is clear that the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades continues to put huge pressures on Londoners.”

Sample size was 1,107 adults and carried out between April 14 and 25. Data weighted.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/cost-living-blamed-half-under-144904029.html

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